It’s 2019 and making a living from creating your own adult video content is actually a viable entrepreneurial venture. With platforms such as Manyvids and Onlyfans, creators can sign up and start uploading self produced video content for no cost and start earning cash very fast! We certainly are living in the golden age of the internet!
Practically everyone has a smart phone these days that capable of shooting HD video footage and producing a pretty decent video, and you can even edit the content you shoot directly on your smartphone. As easily accessible as decent technology is for as all as far as cameras go, there are ways to add that extra level of production value to your videos and improve the overall quality of your content – gone are the days that you need to be a professional company to produce high end videos!
Here are 5 things that I myself pay close attention to that will assist you in creating better quality XXX videos:
1. Lighting
Lighting is probably the most important factors when it comes to shooting a nice looking video, you can have an amazing, expensive camera and without adequate lighting, the footage can look grainy and low quality. On the flip side you could just be using your smartphone and with amazing lighting the footage will look like it was filmed with a professional DSLR!
I use a simple soft box lighting kit that you can find on eBay for less than $50, that way I can fill a room with much more light than would normally be available. This eliminates the grainy noise from your footage and helps you focus much better if you are using a camera with auto focus (which I do)
Where possible, natural daylight is most favorable to shoot in, but this isn’t always available, so adding and controlling your own lighting source is a great alternative.
Setting the lighting source up behind the camera – facing in the same direction the camera/smartphone is pointing – will light the subject (you and or other performers) fro the most desired result. Adding too much light can over expose the image though, so take your time when lighting a scene and keep checking the camera footage for the best look.
If you are using a smartphone, most of the time the auto settings will be fine for what you are doing, but if you are using a DSLR or Mirroless camera, you will need to take into account such settings as aperture, ISO and shutter speed, I’ll touch more on this in future posts.
2. Camera
Most creators starting out use a smartphone as this is readily available, and almost all of the latest models shoot in 4K now. A smartphone can produce some great videos along with good lighting and editing, but there are quite a few limitations that a DSLR or mirrorless camera won’t have.
I shoot with a Sony A6500 Mirrorless camera, with a 10-18mm lens that works perfectly for POV shoots. I find the Sony cameras have great low light capabilities and amazing auto focus.
Ideally, when filming a scene you want to have as much control over the camera settings as possible – the only auto setting I use is the focus.
Selecting a camera will depend on your budget, but most DSLR’s and Mirrorless cameras will produce a decent picture. My recommendation would be a canon or Sony, buy one within your budget, then learn as much about setting it up as you can, film as much test footage as you need and keep adjusting the settings until you’re comfortable using it.
When selecting a camera, I would suggest getting one that can shoot at least 1080p HD, 60 frames per second (FPS) is desirable, and a flip out screen for selfie mode if you are filming with the camera in a static, un-manned position.
3. Editing
In my opinion, editing is the key to any great video – it’s where everything comes together! The dynamic of any scene can be altered with some simple techniques like some sexy slow motion, the right music or adding cuts and transitions where a take is too long.
If you are new to editing, it can seem overwhelming and confusing, it is a tedious process after all. I recommend selecting a software that you can afford, and just start using it! Drop some footage in the timeline and start exploring all of the tools available, you will be surprised how simple it becomes.
There is some great editing software out there to choose from, I personally use Final Cut Pro along with a bunch of premium add ons from Motion VFX – these allow me to make nice logo outros and add some fancier transitions to my videos. I also take advantage of their MLut plugin – this is what i use to color grade (filter) my content.
If you are on a tight budget, you can get some free software, but I recommend investing in a premium choice like FCPX or Adobe Premier Pro if you are serious about making money from porn – that way you will have a lot more versatility with your edits.
4. Sound
Great sound in any video is just as important as great picture quality, unfortunately the standard microphone on any camera or smartphone will be sub-par at best.
Luckily this is easily covered by purchasing an external directional microphone, there are options for both DSLR/Mirrorless cameras and smartphones.
Most directional microphones come with a standard audio jack that plugs directly into your camera, so ensure your camera has a mic port before purchasing. You may also want to take note of any adapters needed to plug an external mic into your smartphone.
If you have a camera that doesn’t have a mic port, don’t worry, you can pick up something like the Zoom H1n that records audio and saves it to an internal memory card that you can take out and sync with your footage at the editing stage. It is a little extra work, but worth it for clear, crisp sound in your video.
5. Video Resolution
Video resolution is size of the video you are capturing with your camera/smartphone.
Almost all cameras and smart phones will have different options when it comes to the resolution you can shoot in. I recommend shooting in 1080p HD minimum, and 60 Frames Per Second (FPS) if you have it available – that way you can create a nice slow motion effect when editing.
4K has a lot of hype about it, and although the resolution is amazing, there are some drawbacks in my opinion – the file size when editing can be a bummer, the editing software has a harder time processing it. You also don’t get to see the benefits of that footage unless it is shown on a 4K resolution screen, and most people watch porn on a laptop or smartphone.
The main upside of 4K in my opinion is that you can crop it in post and retain a high quality image, but if you frame your shots correctly while shooting, you won’t need to do this.
4K may have its place in the future, so if you feel the need to capture everything in 4K, you can do so and downsize the footage before you begin editing it.
There you have it, some food for thought when planing your next shoot, or some things to consider if you are looking to up the production value of your scenes and need some advice on new gear that you might need.
If you would like any direct advice or assistance with producing XXX content, feel free to email me directly at luke@lukespov.com
Luke